Thanks to Deliverance, ‘melodic thrash’ is no longer an oxymoron. In reference, of course, to the Los Angeles, California based bands renowned ‘Metallica cross Queensryche sound’ (as noted by critics and fans alike) in which it associates very heavy and fast paced riffing with the high end and soaring vocals of founding member and rhythm guitarist Jimmy P. Brown II. At the very least Deliverance won over this reviewer, who despite a significant disinclination for all things thrash - I balk at the harshly delivered vocals and lack of melody based songwriting (at least to these ears either way) - embrace the outside the box (do I dare say accessible?) take on the genre.
Deliverance history traces to 1985 and the classic lineup of Brown, lead guitarist Glenn Rogers, bassist Brian Khairullah, and drummer Chris Hyde, whom in 1986 released the highly regarded Greeting Of Death demo to sell an impressive 5000 cassette copies and that helped pave the way for contemporaries Vengeance Rising, Believer and Seventh Angel. The following year Deliverance placed the tracks “Attack” and “A Space Called You” on the California Metal compilation in addition to signing with Intense Records out of Chicago, Illinois. With Bill Metoyer at the production helm, the talented four-piece entered the studio to begin work on its self-titled Intense debut to see release to high critical acclaim in 1989.
Deliverance is not without its share of accolades. Beginning with placing third in a Heaven’s Metal article from 2018 ranking the top 100 Christian metal albums of all time (iconic 1990 sophomore effort Weapons Of Our Warfare did not even make the list) but also includes a ninth place finish at a 2005 Christian Metal Realm’s equivalent top 100 (Weapons… placed third). Angelic Warlord has also gotten in on the act in ranking Deliverance 14th in an article outlining what in our opinion are the top 50 Christian metal albums of the eighties (a corresponding article covering the nineties placed Weapons… 16th).
Deliverance was first re-issued in 2008 by Retroactive Records and a second time in 2017 by Roxx Records. Each version features Rob Colwell (Bombworks Sound) re-mastering along with a different take on the ‘Deliverance logo at the top and broken chain at the bottom over a black backdrop’ cover art, and “Attack” and “A Space Called You” as bonus tracks.
A fall of 2020 Gold Disc Edition re-issue on Retroactive Records comes with all the works: Colwell re-mastering, layout from Scott Waters (No Life Til Metal graphics), two versions to cover art (original with gold border and 2008 re-issue rendering) a Deliverance trading card and three demo bonus tracks. Professionally done mini booklet is home to write-ups from Brown, Rogers and Khairullah, vintage band photos and a montage of all three versions to cover art. As for re-mastering, the Intense release sounds fine for its era, but the Retroactive re-issue tightens things up in lending a crisper and cleaner sound to allow guitars to deliver added bite and fine details in the form of double kick drum, enhanced bass and clearer symbols to better stand out.
Opener “Victory” begins the melodic speed metal and thrash journey to equal parts sledgehammer riffs and palpitating low end in taking the heightened momentum off the charts. Rogers lends to the misgiving with his buzz saw lead guitar. Yet, it is not all onerous as Brown’s classic tenor voice and surprisingly catchy refrain stand apart from the turbulent scene. As its title implies, “Victory” talks about Christ’s victory on the cross:
An innocent man's blood was shed
Foretold this was in past
It will cleanse people of their sin
Forever the covering lasts...
The sacrifice has now been made
We are saved by His blood
Having done all to stand
In victory from above
“No Time” backs from the expeditious angst in elevating heaviness exponentially. Noting the front to back ‘chugga-chugga-chugga’ thrash style rhythm guitars and intense drumming (courtesy of Chris Hyde) but also the ‘speed it up’ instrumental section to decelerate to a near crawl but to gradually regain the forceful momentum at the end. “No Time” focuses on the difficulty of finding time for God:
I've been through the day and I don't have the time
To speak unto friends or to speak Lord to You
No time, no time
That's my constant cry
No time to help those in need
Signature song “Deliverance” proves a barnburner at just three minutes (albums shortest) but also explosive in recapturing much of the mercurial speed metal initiative. Putting things over the top, however, is the heated refrain to see Brown cut loose with an explosive falsetto to repeat the songs title: Deliveraaaaance! Can he still hit those high notes? “Deliverance” gives prominence to the bands mission statement:
We've been sent from the Master
We've been sent with a message of hope
We've been given the keys to the Kingdom
To unlock the chains and bonds
Deliverance…
“If You Will” is heaviest of the heavies- and one of my albums favorite tracks. Love the minute and a half instrumental lead in with opening drum solo and unfathomable bass prior to momentum slowing to a standstill only to pick up in hypertensive fashion. Song stretches in the speed metal department moving ahead as shouted backing vocals - ‘choose Christ if you will!’ - elevate even further. Final minute is instrumental as Rogers again pulls out all the lead guitar stops. Song reinforces the need for salvation:
The bloody cross, it stands alone on a hill
It cries out to the souls of men
Accept Him if you will
Jesus came that you might have life
Satan comes to kill
There's really only one choice, my friend
Choose Christ if you will
The abrupt transition to “The Call” represents one of the classic moments in Christian metal history, as open-air guitar gives way to added ‘chugga-chugga-chugga’ riffing that maul through the imperious verse sections (Brown is renown for his tight rhythm guitar abilities) and catchy chorus to implore the listener:
Do you hear Him
He’s calling out to you
Do you hear Jesus calling?
He’s calling you
Powerful, agile, determined and graceful (in a thrash sort of way) are the words that come to mind in regards to a song that just plain dominates. BTW, only Chris Impellitteri matches the fury of the frenetic leads.
“No Love” takes an added melodic heading. Polished guitar harmonies open things prior to the group’s signature hyper impetus taking over, but at moments notice song descends into some of the most refined vocal melodies you will hear this side of Stryper. Further contrasts manifest from how Brown ominously lowers his register and manner in which the guitar harmonies return to burnish the instrumental interlude. Lyrically, “No Love” bases around I Corinthians 13:
I don't care if you prophesy
Or have the power to heal
If His love does not abide in you
What you do is not real
All you do is make the noise
You use the gifts just like toys
All you are is a sounding bell
With no love
Khairullah’s distorted bass solo opens the monstrous “Blood Of The Covenant”. Things take off from there, as a minute of instrumental fury to include a drum solo and lightening-like guitars give way to a pair of brusquely delivered verses in which the acute stamina continues to expand:
Without the shedding of the Blood
There is no remission of sin
The hour the veil was wrent
That is when it all began
This was not the covenant that was made with our Fathers on Sinai
The Blood of the New Covenant, shed for the remission of sin
The two and a half minute of rabid time changes galore instrumental section gives way to one final shouted ‘the Blood of the Covenant, shed for the remission of sin!’
Album takes its lone downturn for remake of the gospel classic “Jehovah Jireh”. Not that it is in any way bad, it musically approaches from more of a straightforward metal standpoint, but also sounds a bit flat if not out of place in a thrash environment, even a melodic one. Problem is that it interrupts the bracing flow of the track listing that built up ahead, which leads to my main question: is there another album to open to seven better songs? Only one potentially comes to mind is the new Stryper, Even The Devil Believes.
“Temporary Insanity” is first of albums two lengthiest closing tracks. It decelerates from much of the preceding face first momentum, opening to a slower minute and a half instrumental build up to touch upon some ominous doom-ish themes only to recoil much of the signature Deliverance rapidity moving forward as robust drumming underscores the foreboding aesthetics. Song closes to a bulldozing rhythm guitar instrumental section and offbeat laughing…
…which segues to six-minute closer “Awake”, to begin its first minute to bizarre sound effects and ghoulish voices prior to taking off in headlong fashion for another instrumental minute and a half of keyed up rhythm guitar. We are left with three minutes of mid-paced thrash metal intrinsic to doom-ish overtures as verse sections pillage and slam and refrain heatedly repeats songs title at the end.
As for bonus tracks, I am glad Retroactive did not go the conservative route by again including “Attack” and “A Space Called You” but rather dug deep into the bands early demo catalog for three obscure gems that while on the thin side production wise, do a good job representing Deliverance in its earliest incarnation. For those wondering, the three initially appeared on the Deliverance compilation The First Four Years to see initial release in 2000 and re-issue seven years later.
“Stand Up & Fight” is a keyed up five minute instrumental leaving impression of a vocal track, well, lacking vocals. Perhaps the group recorded the song prior to developing lyrics? “Hold On Tightly” highlights Deliverance melodic speed metal side but with a melody hauntingly similar to Stryper’s “Surrender”. It is good enough to be professionally recorded. Finally, “J.I.G.” is a ballistic, heavy hitting two-minute version to the same song appearing on the Greeting… demo, albeit at twice the length.
What can you say about the Deliverance self-titled debut that has not already been said? Iconic, influential and persuasive scratch the surface, or at the very least are first that come to mind in terms of a genre defining work. Combining melodic vocals with speed metal and thrash based riffs certainly has been done prior to Deliverance and after the group moved on to other musical climates, but has anyone performed it with such class and aptitude? If in doubt give the first seven songs repeat listen or the somewhat tempered but every bit heavy final tow. This is classic Deliverance at the height of its powers. Hence, credit Retroactive for making the self-titled debut available again in such an upgraded format in reference to re-mastering and packaging. I strongly encourage picking up a copy before it (again) goes out of print.
Review by Andrew Rockwell
Track Listing: "Victory" (3:48), "No Time" (4:34), "Deliverance" (3:08), "If You Will" (4:24), "The Call" (4:10), "No Love" (3:25), "Blood Of The Covenant" (4:56), "Jehovah Jireh" (3:43), "Temporary Insanity" (5:31), "Awake" (6:15), “Stand Up & Fight” (demo) (4:43), “Hold On Tightly” (demo) (3:39), “J.I.G.” (demo) (2:07)
Musicians
Jimmy P. Brown II - Lead Vocals & Guitars
Glenn Rogers - Guitars
Brian Khairullah - Bass
Chris Hyde - Drums
